Dawn and Dusk
by Joelcoxriley
Summary: For a mated pair of dragons, life is harsh and unforgiving. Yet for the coupling, the discomfort of their physical bodies matters not. What does matter is bringing their offspring into such a world, and protecting them, even if it means giving their last breaths to ensure that at least one of their children's hearts still beats strong.
1. Chapter 1

**This is based on a dream I had, and is background for the main characters. Thought I would try an actual story based in the Dragon Realms. Please enjoy!**

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><p>A clutch of eggs rest within the scaled walls of their parents, both red and gold seeming to blend like heated flame amongst the darkness of the cave. Proud were these parents that had successfully brought a nest of eight into existence, yet their eyes and tails glanced and twitched with anxiousness of a parent that was not sure of their offspring's fate-or what life they would lead in an unforgiving world.<p>

The golden male rested a clawed paw over his mate's more fragile one, he lowering his head on the stone floor of the cave, cold and unforgiving. The red dragoness heard her mate exhale deeply, she lowering herself to his position on the floor, gently nuzzling the hardened scales of his snout. Red and green orbs shown with uncertainty and terror from the pair, yet despite the natural uneasiness the couple had taken comfort in each other's physical affections and heat, nostrils inhaling and exhaling in unison. It did not matter the comforts of the parents in the cold cavern. All that mattered was that their clutch was safe and warm.

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><p>The metallic wyrm's head shot up upon hearing the scrape of talons along the cave's entrance, his pupils narrowing and canines bared as he got up, his mate alert with concern and smoldering fear.<p>

As the male neared the entrance, his posture had returned to a more relaxed nature upon seeing his egg mate approach, despite the second male lacking any quarry from his failed hunt. The twins had greeted each other warmly, nuzzling and rubbing against one another to assure their bond. The lack of prey was beginning to become a problem for the draconic family. Something may have invaded their territory, but who or what was unclear to the brothers.

The blood brother had moved towards the nest, talons scraping against the stone floor as he rubbed against the female, urging her to rise. The flame drake looked upon the larger male, as if in opposition, yet with a yawn rose to her paws, joints popping. With the lack of the female, the brother immediately replaced her spot, a large wing outstretched over the nest in an attempt to keep them warm.

The female approached her awaiting mate, she gently butting her head into his neck in a playful manner, he snapping half heartedly. The pair walked out into the forested mountains, both stretching their wings that were stiff from lack of use. The wing membranes exposed proudly, blocking out the sun as the male paused, feeling the cool wind among the cliffs. Listening to the roar of a sudden gust, the golden drake moved, swift in his stride as he approached a cliff. Gaining speed, the gold wyrm reached the edge and tensed, hind legs producing a feline leap as his wings fully outstretched, catching a strong gust as he climbed into the sky with powerful strokes.

Flying towards the east, the male could hear the wind rustling against his membranes, tattered from the violent drafts of wind. His green orbs searched, swiftly glancing behind to spot the familiar scales of fire his mate had. She in the sky and approaching west, opposite of he. With two predators, they were more likely to catch their quarry and cover a wider expanse of their land. With confidence, the gold serpent felt his chest fill as his powerful lungs breathed in the crisp air. Surely, he had no doubt that they would succeed in their hunt.

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><p>The wind whooshed as powerful wings struck the air, the male hovering slightly before landing with a loud thud, a sheep hanging limply in his maw. His jaded eyes narrowed as his nostrils flared. Something was wrong. He smelled intruders in his territory, in the cave.<p>

The scaled ridges on his back instinctively raised, the gold drake dropping the sheep as he lowered his head, muscles tense. Blood was all he could smell as he entered the cave, a foul stench clogging his nasal passages. Worry for his egg mate and offspring rose as he saw multiple corpses of apes, their crude weapons thrown about. While there were many apes dead, there was still no sign of his brother.

Pausing to sniff the air, the male could find no other scent among the death and blood, and it frightened him. He heard nothing. All he could hear was silence and the pounding of his own heart in his skull. In worry, he released a soft growl in response, hoping for an answer. Silence was the gold wyrm's response as he cried once more for his brother, terror mounting as he received the same answer.

With urgency, the male made his way into the bowels of the cave, eyes scanning with swift precision. His movements froze upon seeing his egg mate, unmoving in the darkness of the cave. The drake called out again, as if to rouse his sibling from his slumber, but his only answer was silence. With terror, yet caution, the male approached, the sound of his talons scraping against the floor muffled by the thickness of blood around his paws.

Upon reaching his brother, the male hesitantly lowered his head, nuzzling his brother yet swiftly pulled back. His brother was cold, unnaturally so, and even in the darkness the gold male could see the faded nobility in his scales. Yet seeing his brother's eyes had shown him the horrible truth. His eyes were pale, and void of any light.

The golden wyrm's stomach lurched, and his breathing became forceful and strained as his whole body heaved. With a mournful cry, the drake's buckling legs gave out, and he crashed to the ground beside his brother in a pool of reddened water.

In pain, the male wrapped a wing around his brother, pulling him closer. It was as if the golden drake was trying to warm his brother with his own body heat, yet the male knew better. He knew his brother would never be warm again. There was too much blood pooling around him to ever be warm, the life blood beginning to clot and thicken.

The scraping of talons to stone echoed throughout the cave, the red dragoness freezing in shock upon finding the pair. Her eyes softened in grief upon seeing her mate in such sorrow, and she hesitantly approached, resting her head upon his in a form of comfort.

Slowly, the dragoness allowed her body to slip into place along side her grieving mate's, the female pressing herself close to him. She closed her eyes in pain as she heard her mate's struggled breaths as emotional pain racked his body. She could do nothing to comfort him as she remained at his side for several minutes, the scarlet wyrm regretfully rising to her paws. At this point, only time would heal her mate's wounds, but time would not wait for their clutch of unprotected eggs.

With nervousness, her fire eyes darted around the cave, the mother feeling her nerves calm slightly upon seeing no apes. Perhaps her family member's death would not be in vain? Still, the terror and uncertainty was there, tormenting her and echoing in her mind until she reached the nest.

The female sighed in relief upon finding the eggs intact, nuzzling an egg to find it cold, which had alarmed her. Swiftly, the red wyrm settled down by her nest, wrapping around her eggs and covering them with a wing to warm them. The same unease and anxiety returned upon the unknown fate of her young. What if she and her mate had arrived too late?

The dragoness had remained vigilant towards her nest, unmoving. Only when she heard the sound of talons slowly scraping against the stone did she look upon her mate entering, movements slothful, as if his limbs were far too heavy. With a thud, the golden male retired to his usual spot around the nest, releasing a heavy groan.

His mate looked upon him with sorrow, she releasing a soft cry as her small paw rested upon his larger one. The male's green orbs locked upon her paw, studying it for several seconds before resting his head on the ground, feeling his mate nuzzle his snout in an attempt to console him. With a loud and heavy sigh, the male closed his eyes, drifting off into the fantasy realm of dreams.

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><p>Golden lids gave way to narrowed pupils and green irises, the male shooting up, alert and troubled. His mate had awoken beside him, her crests falling in worry as the male shook himself, stiffly getting up. Something was wrong. He smelled an intruder, heard the sound of wings on the wind. This must have been the one that was trespassing on his territory and feeding on his prey.<p>

His mate moved to rise, but a low growl from her partner stopped her, and the red dragoness nestled back down, keeping her eggs close.

The drake's ridged hackles rose, canines bared as he approached the outside of the cave, eyes widening in terror upon seeing a large black drake pushing through the entrance. This bull was larger than he, yet if he was the last line of defense, then he would not let this outsider pass. With a guttural growl, the rogue pushed forward, using his sheer size to his advantage.

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><p>Blood dripped onto the forest floor as the golden drake limped away, every step bringing him pain. Groaning, the male had lost complete use of his hind leg, his flanks damaged and stomach slashed. Defeated, the bull looked back towards his lair, a bloodshot eye watching, waiting. She had never left. His mate had never left the lair, and he was too weak to defend his mate and young. He did not know if the black drake had spared them, and despite how much the golden wyrm wanted to return, he knew he did not have the strength to climb up the mountain, nor would he survive another encounter.<p>

The noble dragon eventually fell from his wounds, collapsing into a heap. No matter how much the male tried, he simply did not have the strength to rise once more. Lying there in a pool of his own blood, perhaps this is how his egg mate felt before perishing? What if he was stronger? What if he fought harder? Perhaps then his mate and their clutch would be safe, whatever their fate was. He could only hope that she could forgive him for failing her, and that their unhatched children were safe. That was all the golden male could think about before falling into darkness.

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><p><strong>As an experiment I tried invoking emotion without dialog. Not sure if it worked, but the main characters will be introduced in the second chapter. Thank you for reading and please review!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**I have lost my ability and focus to write, and am trying to get it back by writing vague chapters. Quick and clean. Enjoy.**

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><p>Terror. Nothing but terror filled the dragoness' heart as she fled from the protective stone lair that had once been a haven. Until recently, however, the cave had been turned into a death trap.<p>

The ground seemed to shake as the bull persued her, yoke and shell smearing his jowls. She was running as fast as she could with a sole egg in her talons, stride fatigued as she moved on hind legs.

The black wrym snapped his jaws at her tail, just out of his striking canines. The red draconis' hind legs were burning and aching, though she would not allow this threat to kill her offspring-possibly the last.

The cliff was her salvation. She needed to reach the earthen slab, or she and her last child would die. She could not allow that. She could not allow the last of her family to die. This egg was all she had, that she had harbored in her womb for months, that she had felt grow, that she had guarded out of love.

Her legs ached, each stride lasting an eternity as her muscles threatened to give. She could feel the shadow of the shaded bull block out the sun, and his breaths were deep and swift, juxtaposing her swift and shallow wind.

Approaching the cliff, her leg muscles tensed as her wings outstretched, readying for swift flight. Reaching the edge, her tired legs gave one last attempt to flee, jumping into the sky as the bull snapped at her tail. Her wings gave a powerful stroke that perpelled her towards the skies, the black drake over judging his strike as he stumbled over the cliff, the earth breaking underneath his talons. The scarlet wyrm looked back to see the bull roar as he plummeted.

The scarlet female flew as fast as she could, hind legs going limp as she cradled her egg close to her chest. Looking at the precious egg, pure crystals began to well within her eyes. All those months of carrying part of her love within her, nurturing the fragile life and protecting them...all gone. Of all eight of their children, only one yet lived. And even then, the mother knew not the fate of her mate.

By chance, her clouded orbs caught sight of a golden hue amongst the rock and leaves. Her heart skipped a beat in terror, in happiness, in sorrow as she neared, gaining a better view.

It was her mate, yet she felt a cold terror rush through her body as she saw that he moved not, and much of the soil was stained with a crimson hue. In urgency, yet fear, the female made her decent, landing upon the ground as her hind legs failed to support her, and she fell. She would have nearly crushed her egg had she not fallen on her side. Legs burning, she found she did not have the strength to rise.

In truth, part of her did not want to join her mate, to find out the truth-no matter how horrid. She did not know whether he still drew breath, and the very thought made her heart clench in pain, for he may have been in pain as well.

Slowly, carefully she crawled to him, red orbs glued upon him, yet he made no movement, and his breath seemed still. She looked upon him, her eyes clouding in terror as she gently nuzzled him, and found him cold.

Her head snapped back in alarm. Cold? Her mate was never cold. In distress, she gently nudged against him, he not responding as she nudged him a second time, harder. He had yet to stir.

Liquid shards once again welled within the female's eyes, she resting her head upon his brow. Her mate would never see their child that both have sacrificed so much for. Her child would never know their father, whom had fought so hard to defend his family.

She clutched their egg between their bodies, one warm, the other cold-like they always did. Her tears began to roll down her face as her nostrils flared, her breath in shallow hitches. Soon, she felt a shutter underneath her, her mate's jaded eyes groggily opening.

The female lurched back, her breath frozen as her mate's body began to shutter even more, he looking upon his love in shock. He looked upon her, an eye bloodshot that had clouded his vision, his breath being withheld within his lungs.

The scarlet drake's eyes began to shine as she allowed her floodgates to fully break, lovingly nuzzling her golden mate as he mimicked her actions.

Their eyes met; red and green orbs with crystalline stars as the female pushed her body against his, the hard shell of an egg being pressed against his scales. The gold drake pulled away from his mate, looking upon the precious egg as his eyes widened.

He glanced to his mate, as if to confirm. She purred, and licked his jaw before nuzzling him, his larger paw once again resting upon her smaller one. One of their children had lived. It was unbelievable. And his love-she was alive, and held no ill will for his failure-only concern.

He looked upon their child-possibly the last, and despite being weakend from lack of blood, nuzzled his egg, and draped a wing over both child and mate. Lying in a cool of her mate's blood did not matter to the fire drake. All that matter was both he and their child were alive, and she would do anything to assure their safety. It was obvious her mate was committed to the same goal, for even though weak, and dying, he still viewed himself as the last defense for his young family. But their discomfort did not matter. Their sorrow, terror and love did not matter. All that mattered was that their last child was safe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! Sorry for the lack of updates on everything. I don't have much time to write as much, so long chapters and overly detailed stories are a big no-no. I'm not sure when I'll update anything, but I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>The scarlet wyrm had stayed beside her wounded mate, gingerly nursing his wounds as she licked the jagged scrapes done by violent talons.<p>

Her mate had grunted softly in discomfort, head rested upon the bloodied ground as his talons shook, golden hue drained. The female had paused in her nursing to look upon his shaking body, her cardinal orbs shining with worry as the sun began to fade behind the jaws of the earth.

Slowly, she extended her neck, snout gently touching a front talon in an attempt to cease his small seizures. She had kept her snout upon his larger paw for sometime, feeling the coldness of his calloused forepaw that had frightened the young mother.

He had slowly moved to gaze upon her, amaranthine eyes looking upon her, tired and pained. His wounded eye was bloodshot, and unfocused as his talons softly grasped her snout that had seemed far too hot. After several seconds, however, his grip had faltered, and his mate had slowly beckoned her neck back. She watched helplessly as his paw began to tremor once more.

A quiet moan had escaped her scaled maw, the dragoness once more attempted to clean his wounds. The golden male had almost distantly looked off into the skies, breath shallow and swift as the dying rays of the sun cast shadows among the forest floor. The moss was stained red with his blood, dry dirt upturned and softened from his talons scraping into the earth in pain. A cool wind had fell upon the pair, signaling a chill darkness wrought by the moon that would surly come.

His bloodshot eye was vaguely aware of forms cast by the faltering rays and dancing trees, the male attempting to look in unease for fear of danger. The scarlet drake had paused in her cleaning to halfheartedly nip at his jaw, the male issuing a soft yelp at her scolding.

The female's nostrils flared as she smelled a chill front approach, rising to her paws. Her mate had looked upon her in curiosity and confusion as she briefly circled him before pushing their sole egg gently into his chest. The golden wyrm almost hesitantly looked towards the hardened shell, his shaking talons loosely grasping their unhatched young in an attempt to pull the egg closer to his body.

The dragoness cocked her head, eyes almost judging the situation before turning her head toward the cliff above the film of trees that harbored their dead clutch, now appearing like a haunted shadow in the failing light.

Breathing deeply, the female circled her partner and affectionally rubbed her body against his, circling once more to nuzzle his cool snout, scales hard. He had returned her affections as best he could, gaze slowly losing focus. The sight had caused his mate to cry softly.

She had paused, nuzzling him gently once more before pulling away, wings unfurling. With a feline leap, the dragoness extended her wings to their full length, giving a powerful stroke as she launched into the skies.

Soaring above the forest, she road upon the winds that had carried her home, the ruined face of their cliff evidence of the attacker's sheer size. Curiosity had taken over the mother, and she had lowered to the base of the rock cliff, several slabs of rocks, boulders and ruined trees lay at the bottom. And after landing, she could see the assailant of her family dead, crushed underneath the earth and root. His black scales were bruised and bloodied, wings broken and ribcage crushed, body broken. A pool of blood lay just underneath his open maw, open eyes glazed over and dull.

The female had slowly approached, seeing the egg and yolk still smeared upon his gaping jaw, as if the bull were still trying to strike her. Sniffing, she nudged the black male, his stiff muscles telling her that he was indeed dead.

She had then stepped back slightly, head cocking before briefly looking around. Only a few minutes of light remained, and she needed to get back to her mate swiftly lest she lose both mate and child.

Her jaws opened, and the scarlet dragon began to feast upon the corpse of her offsprings' murderer, feeding until her stomach was full. Talons and head covered in blood, the female had ripped out the liver of the dragon, clamping the organ firmly in her jaws before launching into the skies once more, the moon now rising.

The golden drake had been fighting the beckon of sleep for quite some time, eyes heavy and lidded. However, the beating of wings on the wind had awoken him, his mate landing as she emerged from a break in the treetops.

Breathing deeply, she had approached him, laying the mound of flesh near his form. The male had briefly looked at the organ, yet had made no move. The female had waited several seconds before pushing the flesh towards him with her snout, the male not making any move. Slowly, however, his nostrils flared, and a deep growl escaped his stomach as he sniffed the mound of flesh, maw opening to feed.

Content, the scarlet dragon had turned her attention to their egg, she nuzzling the shell gently, though found it a bit too cold for her liking and smearing blood.

Circling around once more, the dragoness' lay behind her mate, pressing her body against his as much as possible to keep him warm, her wing out stretching over both mate and child. Laying her head over her paws, the female sighed deeply, feeling the chill of the night arrive. Her mate had gently nudged his snout into hers, his forked tongue flicking out to wipe the blood from her maw. She had almost snapped at him, yet made no move, finding the warmth of his tongue and breath comforting as she purred softly.

The dragoness' eyes grew tired, she fighting to stay awake. The constant lull of her mate's gentle licks did nothing to help keep her on edge, yet instead comforted her. Slowly, her tired eyes had failed to remain open, and she had fallen asleep, breath slow.

The male had continued to gingerly lick her maw, his talons wrapped around the precious egg, kept warm by the combined efforts of the parents. The male had paused in his actions, however, as he felt a rustle within the egg, he turning his gaze in curiosity. The egg had made no movement for sometime, yet soft chirps could be faintly heard from inside.

Alert, the male sniffed the egg, licking the hard shell as the chick stirred within. Excitement had fueled his tired body, the male nudging his mate awake, who had angrily snapped at him. Her fit was quieted, however, as soft chirping reached her ears, the dragoness now becoming wide awake. However, both knew that they could do little for their chick. All they could do was wait and see if their young was strong enough to break from it's prison.

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><p>The cool mists of morning had arrived, dew coating the grasses and winds echoing with the calls of songbirds as many creatures just awoke from their slumber.<p>

The coupling, however, was wide awake, having stayed up the whole night. With the birth of a new dawn, came the meeting of their daughter, a pink dragoness. Both parents sniffed and nuzzled the chick, whose newly hatched scales were slick with fluid. The pink chick had called softly, footing unsteady and wings tightly tucked against her body. Her mother had cleaned her scales gently as her father sniffed her in curiosity. For this tiny dragoness, her mere survival depended upon her parents, and only time would tell if she was born to die.

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><p><strong>The birth of Ember! Yay! Might be a little rushed, but whenever I have time to update I'll go into more detail on the new family. Thank you for reading!<strong>


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